Breast-feeding has a long list of potential benefits. Now some researchers say there's evidence of one more -- protection against sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, a form of unexpected death that kills more than 2,000 infants each year in the U.S. Such a link had been suspected, based on some studies, but to get a better idea of the true association, an international team of researchers analyzed an array of studies on breast-feeding and...

Lindsay Jaynes never intended to become an overnight social media sensation when the 30-year-old mother asked Delta Airlines about its policy for in-flight breast-feeding. The new mother planned to buy a ticket from John Wayne Airport to Florida with her now 6-week-old son in March, and wanted to be prepared for her baby's first trip. To Jaynes' surprise, the response from a Delta representative transformed the Newport Beach resident into an advocate for breast-feeding mothers, her story reaching far beyond Orange County.

By now, the overwhelming benefit of breastfeeding babies to improve their health, and sometimes to save their lives, is universally acknowledged, even by the companies that produce formula. But breast-feeding rates remain alarmingly low, and the reason is the relentless marketing of these same companies, the implicit collaboration of well-meaning hospitals and the unwillingness of government to abide by its international commitments. Though we would all like to believe that we outsmart advertising and make decisions based on rational assessments, formula companies and the World Health Organization know better.

When it comes to infant nutrition, the experts agree that breast is best. But should government be legislating lactation? That's what is happening in the United Arab Emirates. Last week, the Federal National Council's Health, Labor and Social Affairs committee passed a clause in its broad Child Rights law making breastfeeding a "duty, not an option, for able mothers. " Members of the committee ultimately declared, after what was described as "a marathon debate" that every infant has the right to be breastfed for the first two years of life, according to a report in the National . Under the law, a wet nurse would be provided for women unable to breastfeed for health reasons.

Time magazine's breastfeeding cover story asks: "Are You Mom Enough?" But it might as well ask: "Who Says Print Is Dead?" The magazine is the talk of the nation this morning, dominating the morning talk shows, the radio shows, social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, and that gold standard of relevancy, Google. It's the No. 1 search term there today. "This is a cover that has the entire nation talking," said magazine expert Samir Husni. "When was the last time you saw a story do that," unless it was a breaking news event?

Any new mom can attest to being tired. Nighttime feedings are usually the culprit, so how does breastfeeding compare to formula feeding in terms of sleep disruption? It really makes no difference, Julie’s Health Club blog of the Chicago Tribune reports. "When researchers looked at the impact of different feeding methods on a mother’s sleep, they found no differences in the time or quality of their sleep," Julie Deardorff writes in explaining a new study published Monday.

Rolling along Re "Skate park grinds at residents," Sept. 13 Skateboarders finally get a skateboard plaza, and neighbors are still complaining. Youths are off the street and have a place to hang out and perform their favorite sport. Parents have less to worry about because they know where their children are, and fewer people are bothered on the street by passing skateboarders. It is a win-win situation. Yet neighbors still complain about the noise of the skateboarders.

Breastfeeding a newborn for even one month will lower a woman's lifetime risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a study published Friday. Other research has also linked breastfeeding to a reduced risk of diabetes among women, but the new study establishes the strength of the association to a much greater degree. The question now is, why wouldn't every new mother breastfeed for at least one month? And, how can society make it easier on new mothers so they can nurse? The study, led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, examined data from 2,233 women in California's Kaiser Permanente healthcare system.

Breastfeeding has a long list of demonstrated benefits, including a lower risk of diarrhea, skin rash, respiratory infections and a type of deadly gastrointestinal disease. Now, new research affirms that warding off asthma symptoms still belongs on that list . Researchers in the Netherlands used questionnaires to assess the breastfeeding history and asthma symptoms in more than 5,000 preschool children. The children who had never been breastfed were more likely to wheeze, cough, have shortness of breath and have persistent mucus than children who were breastfed for six months.

The Complete Book of Breastfeeding by Marvin S. Eiger MD and Sally Wendkos Olds (Workman: paperback, $7.95). A good 60% of the babies of today's baby-boomers will be breast-fed. Their mothers, better educated and aware of the many benefits nursing confers, will choose this immemorial method, as compared to a mere 20% in 1970. In its big comeback, mother's milk, as is generally known, contains all nutrients necessary for the baby.

Gisele Bundchen is letting fans in on one of her major parenting secrets: multitasking. The Brazilian beauty shared Tuesday a somewhat controversial photo of herself breastfeeding her tot as a beauty squad carried out its aesthetic duties. "What would I do without this beauty squad after the 15 hours flying and only 3 hours of sleep #multitasking #gettingready," Mrs. Tom Brady captioned the photo that shows her nursing daughter Vivian as she gets her nails, makeup and hair done by three different people.

Two new studies, both released Monday, offer additional evidence -- if any were really needed -- that breast-feeding can be really, really difficult for mothers. In one analysis , published in the journal Pediatrics , researchers interviewed first-time mothers at the UC Davis Medical Center to assess their breast-feeding practices, concerns and problems before they gave birth and on several occasions over the first two months of their babies' lives. They found that 92% of mothers reported breast-feeding concerns at the peak time of difficulty (their child's third day of life)

Breastfeeding is on the rise in the U.S., with 77% of new mothers nursing their newborns and nearly half sticking with it for at least six months, according to new data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC's 2013 Breastfeeding Report Card finds that the proportion of mothers who nurse their babies at all increased significantly between 2000 and 2010 - and that the duration of nursing increased steadily as well. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies consume nothing but breast milk for about six months , and that after they start eating solid foods they continue to nurse until their first birthday.

One of the first warnings new mothers hear is that offering babies formula soon after birth can lead to problems with breast-feeding. Sating infants' hunger with formula can prevent them from nursing vigorously, interfering with milk production; letting them use a bottle and nipple can interfere with their ability to latch properly at the breast. Some research has shown that mothers who offer formula in the hospital stop breast-feeding sooner than...

Good news for babies: The number of mothers breast-feeding is rising across America. So says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a new report released Thursday. From 2000 to 2008, the proportion of mothers who breast-fed their infants rose from 70.3% to 74.6%. Even better, the proportion of mothers who were still breastfeeding after six months jumped from 34.5% to 44.4% during the same period. Why is this good? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breast-feeding for a baby's first six months of life and continued breast-feeding for the second six months, along with solid foods.

Almost half of all babies born in the United States -- 47.2% to be exact -- are still breastfeeding at 6 months, and the rate at which mothers are initiating breastfeeding of their newborns has had its highest jump in a decade, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday. That news comes on the day that a provision of the Affordable Care Act takes effect that will make breastfeeding easier and less expensive for mothers who spend part of their days away from their babies.

Chromium is an essential trace mineral found in a variety of foods, including whole grains, cereals, spices (such as black pepper), broccoli, mushrooms, cheese, seafood and meat. In the body, it plays a role in metabolizing fats and carbohydrates and controlling blood levels of sugar. The body has a hard time absorbing chromium supplements in mineral form; it is absorbed more easily when it's bound to another molecule.

Almost half of all babies born in the United States -- 47.2% to be exact -- are still breastfeeding at 6 months, and the rate at which mothers are initiating breastfeeding of their newborns has had its highest jump in a decade, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday. That news comes on the day that a provision of the Affordable Care Act takes effect that will make breastfeeding easier and less expensive for mothers who spend part of their days away from their babies.

I was at a party recently where a young father was getting a lot of attention as he spooned baby food into the mouth of his 6-month-old son. Several men were gathered around, enjoying the antics of the baby boy, who giggled with every bite. Only a few feet away a young mother was breastfeeding her infant. Both parents were doing the same thing - feeding their children - but the woman was getting the job done in a more intimate way. No one appeared to be shocked or disturbed, but neither was there a cluster of people gathering around her as they were with the man and his kid. Everyone was allowing the mother a realm of privacy in a busy room.

Time magazine fanned the flame around the "attachment parenting" debate Thursday with its provocative cover of a young mom breast-feeding her almost 4-year-old-son. Imagine the controversy the cover would have sparked if she were feeding him vegan breast milk? Oy . The New York Times broached this topic on Room For Debate last month, pitting former child actress and attachment parenting advocate Mayim Bialik against, well, working women. In Motherhood vs. Feminism , the moderator asked: “Has women's obsession with being the perfect mother destroyed feminism?